Border fencing



y 1956 w. E. FREEMAN 2,746,723

BORDER FENCING Filed April e, 1953 W/W/ ////g;/ m

\ I INVENTOR.

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United States Patent BORDER FENCING Wallace E. Freeman, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application April 6, 1953, Serial No. 347,111

3 Claims. (Cl. 256-22) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in border fencing, generally, and more particularly to such fencing comprising a plurality of like sections which may readily and quickly be erected to provide a continuous strip of border fencing adapted for use around flower beds, shrubbery, and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide such a structure which is extremely flexible, and readily lends itself for use as a protection for flower beds, evergreens, shrubbery, and the like, which is so constructed that they may readily and quickly be set up with a minimum of effort.

A further object is to provide a flexible border fencing comprising a supporting rail having a plurality of gripping elements secured thereto in spaced relation lengthwise of the rail, and each gripping element comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical flanges adapted to cooperate to support a flexible picket therebetween, said pickets being flexible in a transverse direction whereby they may be contracted when inserted between the complemental flanges of a gripping element, it being understood that the spacing between the complemental flanges of each gripping element is relatively less than the free or normal transverse width of said pickets, thereby requiring that each picket be transversely contracted to permit its insertion into a gripping element.

A further object is to provide a flexible border fencing comprising a supporting rail having a plurality of gripping elements secured thereto in spaced relation lengthwise thereof, each adapted to receive and frictionally supporting a picket therein, said pickets being constructed of a flexible metal and having an arcuate cross-section, the free width of each picket being relatively greater than the spacing between the complemental flanges of each gripping element whereby when the pickets are inserted in said gripping elements they are frictionally and vertically adjustable therein.

Other objects of the invention reside in the unique construction of the supporting posts and the horizontal rail whereby the rail may be supported therein without separate securing elements, and in the simple and inexpensive construction of the fencing whereby the various parts thereof may be manufactured in quantity production at extremely low cost and whereby the fence may be erected to conform to the contour of the ground and also to the contour of flower beds and other objects, etc.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved 2,746,723 Patented May 22, 1956 border fencing illustrating a structure wherein short and long pickets are alternately arranged in the fencing;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View on a reduced scale showing a fencing following the contour of a bank and wherein two horizontal rails are utilized for supporting the pickets;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a section of the fencing showing the manner of supporting the pickets in the gripping elements;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the pivotal connections between the supporting rail and gripping elements; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the top end of a supporting post.

The novel border fencing herein disclosed is shown in its simplest form in Figure 1, wherein but a single supporting rail 2 is utilized for supporting the pickets 3 and 4, here shown of different lengths so that the top of the fencing is stepped in form. The supporting rail 2 is preferably made up in short sections of approximately 4 feet in length, and having their ends joined together by suitable bolts or screws 5, as shown, whereby the fencing may be extended to any desired length.

The rail 2 is supported in a plurality of upright posts 6, preferably of iron rod, having their upper ends downwardly slitted as shown at '7 to receive the rail 2, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The rail 2 is constructed of flexible band iron of a suitable thickness and width to provide the necessary strength for supporting the pickets.

Secured to the rail 2 in spaced relation lengthwise thereof are a plurality of gripping elements, generally designated by the numeral 8. The elements 8 may be secured to the rail 2 by suitable means such as spot welding or riveting. Each gripping element is formed from sheet metal and is provided at its vertical side edges with inwardly turned flanges 99 which cooperate to grip the opposed edges of the pickets 3 and 4, as will subsequently be described.

A feature of the present invention resides in the construction of the pickets whereby they may readily be fitted into the gripping elements and frictionally retained therein without the use of separate securing elements. The pickets are constructed of thin flexible sheet metal and are transversely curved as shown in Figures 3 and 4, whereby they may readily be contracted or flexed transversely to facilitate positioning them in the gripping elements 8, as will clearly be understood by reference to the dotted lines P at the left hand end of Figure 3.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the spacing between the complemental flanges of each gripping element 8 which, it will be noted, is relatively less than the free transverse width of the pickets whereby the pickets must be contracted transversely to permit their insertion into the gripping elements, as indicated in Figure 3. By so fashioning the gripping elements and the pickets, the latter are frctionally secured to the supporting rail 2, in such manner that they are not likely to become detached therefrom, even when engaged by a moving object or a person. At the same time the pickets are readily vertically adjustable in their supporting elements, whereby they may be adjusted to follow the contour of the ground, when desired, and also whereby different effects may be obtained in the contour of the fencing by differently positioning the pickets in their respective gripping elements, as will be understood.

In Figure 2 there is shown a construction wherein two supporting rails 11 and 12 are utilized for supporting a plurality of pickets 13, alike in construction, and having their upper ends pointed as shown. Because of the frictional engagement of the pickets with their respective gripping elements 8, the upper horizontal rail 12 need not be secured to the upright supporting posts 6.

In Figure 4 there is shown a construction wherein the gripping element 8 is pivotally secured to the supporting rails by a rivet 14, whereby the gripping element may relatively pivot on its supporting rail as is necessary when the fencing is to follow the contour of a bank or slope, as illustrated in Figure 2. In this figure the clamping elements 8 are shown pivoted in the supporting rails 11 and 12, as shown in Figure 4. From actual experience I have discovered the pickets may be economically manufactured in the manner as the usual slats employed in conventional Venetian blinds.

The unique border fencing herein disclosed may be readily erected along the edges of flower beds regardless of the curvatures thereof. It may also readily be erected around evergreens and other shrubbery, or specimen plants requiring protection from dogs, etc., and is not likely to become distorted or disfigured as a result of moving objects or individuals contacting therewith, because of the inherent flexibility of the material from which the pickets are made. Also because of the extreme flexibility of the pickets, the lower end portions thereof are not likely to become distorted when engaged by a lawn mower or rake. Because of the pickets being frictionally supported upon the supporting rails 2, 11 and 12, they are furnished in the form of blank strips of metal cut to the desired length to provide the desired height for the fencing to be used. If desired, the top ends of the pickets may be shaped as shown in Figure 2.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. A section of border fencing comprising a longitudinal flexible strap-like supporting rail, a plurality of plate-like gripping elements secured to said rail in uniformly spaced relation lengthwise thereof, each of said gripping elements comprising an enlarged body having its opposed upright marginal edges bcnt inwardly over its adjacent body portions and cooperating therewith to provide a pair of upright inwardly facing horizontally spaced parallel channels of substantial length, and a plurality of elongated flexible pickets of relatively thin resilient sheet metal, each picket being transversely bent about its longitudinal axis, whereby each picket is arcuately formed, cross sectionally, and the free width of said pickets being slightly greater than the horizontal width of each of said gripping elements, whereby when each picket is contracted transversely by the application of pressure to oppositely disposed portions of its opposite side edges, and said side edge portions are inserted into the opposed inwardly facing channels of one of said gripping elements, the opposed marginal edge portions of said picket will expand into frictional engagement with the walls of said channels, whereby the picket is firmly retained in position on the supporting rail.

2. A section of border fencing according to claim 1, wherein the vertical height of each gripping element is at least equal to or greater than the vertical width of said horizontal supporting rail, whereby the inwardly facing channels of each gripping element are of suflicient length to provide adequate supports for said pickets.

3. A section of border fencing according to claim 1, wherein the pickets are so constructed that they may readily be flexed transversely, whereby when the bottom ends thereof are engaged by a garden implement, such as a rake, said pickets may readily flex to permit passage of the rake therebeneath.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 692,461 Lichtfeldt Feb. 4, 1902 1,668,651 McKinnon May 8, 1928 2,152,018 Barnhart Mar. 28, 1939 2,573,239 Barrett Oct. 30, 1951 2,696,974 Gibbs Dec. 14, 1954 

